Non Racial Society Debate

My view of non-racial society has always been more theoretical than practical. Well it is much easy to avoid racial debate when you have elevated in class. Our political achievements has thus in some form created a breed of African leadership that has moved up atleast in class terms. This unfortunately has created a situation were, it easier to state that race is no longer an issue. This however is only applicable to those that have elevated to higher class since the democratic dispensation. The 9th annual report of the Commission for Employment Equity released recently paint a scary picture. Infact, even if we choose to look at this from a class perspective and with the rise of black class one cannot help but note that class and race in South Africa are intertwined. And though the majority of the past three elections where somewhat driven by racial discourse, FEAR of the old master and how bad it used to be under apartheid. How soon do we forget that in the past elections the DA campaign of "STOP ZUMA" was seen in racial sense not class or political sense. And it could be argued that race was the winner at the poll even though the ANC is a non-racial political organisation. From an insight point of view, it could be argued that the campaign was solely based on the court appearances and allegations of corruption. The question that is more intriquing though, is at the veterans and citizen level. How was the campaign interpreted at the public level? I think the answer to such a poll will shock even the die hard "No Debate on Race" leadership.

The picture from the report The Commission of Employment Equity is really self explanatory "Whites still occupy the majority of top management posiyions and earn more than blacks even where blacks are in the majority when it comes to skills" ( Sowetan Online 25/08). A colleque of myne the is morning, in reference to visits by Human Settlement Minister night spend at Diepsloot shacks uttered these sentiment "One cannot spend a night in shacks and think that he knows fully how poverty affects the poor, infact that action could be seen as nothing but an adventure" think Diepsploot Survivor one day episode with a bull lights BMW parked outside. I personally would like to give the minister a chance, infact I will like to give the entire South African cabinet a chance ( considering that this morning I was listening to Bheki Cele on 702FM ) so on visible level and positive media coverage and awareness I give cabinet 10.

The score that will matter though, is that which will deal of social inequalities and service delivery and a creation of non racial society. I think I'm losing track here so back to the issue at hand. Non racial society needs to extend beyond a belief system held by the majority party, or an acknowledgement that the ANC has always had comrades of color. The truth is that the same comrades of color journey was more in emancipation of black South Africans or the marginalised. Their participation in the liberation should not in any terms be used as a justification for not addressing the racial issues. Yes indeed the ANC is a non racial organisation, but this does not in any terms mean that we can't debate racial dynamics that are at mimimum robbing the majority of economical survival or advancement. The report on Employment Equity only highlights, what the majority of voters fear. Economical emancipation and benefitting from the proceeds of the land is still largely skewed towards certain race groups. Should the masses, hold this view as a belief system and long for a social journey towards a class discource.

The loser will be the party that is failing to address the racial dynamics prevalent in society and perhaps a rise of a class party. But for now, credit goes to Julius Malema for always raising the issues that we fear to raise.